Loader



June 10, 1952 F. wAGuEsPAcK LOADER 3 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Aug. 9. 1946Wm. Nh.

Frumence Waguespac/r IN VEN TOR.

June l0, 1952 F. wAGuEsPAcK LOADER 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 9, 1946.x w R. W m m S wm W N um mm um M. 1 nm mm W Q m e c vm S u vm n w m m VV. um .w B m NN m. om v mm 6.5m Q. v4 NN mh N hh a vv khih .0N W h@ Q@mv o Q Nm m n o u mm mw wm mn www mv op Bv m l hm. mw mm mm NQ wv m l nuw N @l mw um R. wm MQ F. WAGUESPACK June l0, 1952 LOADER 3 Sheets-Sheet3 Filed Aug. 9, 1946 Fig. 3

INVENTOR.

wh.. my M@ Patented June 10, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LOADERFrumence Waguespack, Burnside, La. Application August 9, 1946, SerialNo. 689,453

6 Claims. 1 j

This invention relates to a loader, and has for its primary object toload stalk material such as .cane stalks, corn stalks and the like.

Another object is Vto gather cut stalks from the ground and assemblethem into a. bundle which may be readily removed and deposited in asuitallle conveyance such as a wagon, 'truck or the 1i e.

Another object is to bundle a group of stalks, and deliver them to oneside `of the bundling scoop so that the process may functioncontinuously with the unloading of the bundling scoop taking place asthe scoop advances toward a group of stalks to collect and bundle them.

Among its features my invention embodies a scoop adapted to be advancedtoward a group of cut stalks to collect the stalks into a bundle, meansto remove bundled stalks from the scoop and means to advance the scoophorizontally toward the group of stalks.

Other features include means to advance the scoop horizontally towardthe group of stalks and means to regulate the angle at which the scoopattacks the group of stalks.

Still other features include a grab to remove bundled stalks from thescoop and means to steady the grab and guide it into bundle removingposition with relation to the scoop.

In the drawings:

l Figure 1 is a plan view of a machine embodying the features of thisinvention;

Figure 2 is a side view of the machine shown in Figure 1 showing theboom lowered and the grab in open position;

Figure 3 is an end view of the device showing the grab elevated and inclosed bundle sustaining position, with the boom turned into a positionperpendicular to that illustrated in Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a detail view of the mast and turning means therefor;

Figure 5 is an enlarged detail view of a modiiied form of grab.

Referring to the drawings in detail a farm tractor designated generallyl5 is equipped with the customary traction wheels I6 and power takeoi l1to which a drive pulley I8 is fixed in a conventional manner. Mounted insuitable bearings (not shown) is a jack shaft I9 carrying at one end adrive pulley 20 having driving connection with the pulley i8 through themedium of an endless belt 2l. The jack shaft I9 is connected through themedi-um of a suitable clutch 22 and a` propeller shaft 23 the rotationof which is controlled by the clutch 22 to a drive shaft 24 mounted onthe chassis of intermediate its ends.

Mounted for rotation about a vertical axis on the chassis of the tractorl5 near the rear end thereof is a mast 25 carrying adjacent its lowerend a disc 26 the purpose of which will more fully hereinafter appear.The upper end of the `mast 25 is rotatably supported in a suitablebearing 21 rigidly supported in place by convergent sup porting rods 28,the lower ends of which are atcached to the chassis of the tractor inany conventional manner. A sleeve 29 surrounds the upper end of the mast25 and carries at its upper end a bearing plate 30 from the uppersurface of which project spaced parallel ears 3| the purpose of whichwill more fully hereinafter appear. Pivotally supported `on a pair ofupstanding brackets 32 carried by the plate 26 adjacent the base of themast '25 is `a boom 33 the free end of which is equipped with a suitableguide pulley 34 and over which is trained a cable 35, one end of whichis trained over a guide pulley 36 carried by the mast and bentdownwardly through the interior of the mast to a winding drum 31 mountedin suitable bearings 38 carried by the chassis of the tractor. Thiswinding drum 31 has driving connections with the drive shaft 24 throughthe medium of a conventional clutch and reversing mechanism 39, so thatthe cable 35may be wound on the drum 31 or Iunwound therefrom accordingto its direction of rotation.

Attached to the end of the cable 35 opposite that which is attached tothe drum 31 is a grab designated generally 40 comprising a cross-member4l to each of the opposite ends of which is pivoted a pair of spacedlinks 42 which are arranged to swing in spaced parallel arcs. A pair of4grab hooks 43 is pivoted as at 44 to the ends of the links 42 oppositethose pivoted to the cross-member 4l and each of the grab hooks 43 isprovided with a lever arm 45. These lever arms extend toward one anotherand are pivoted together as at 45. Extensions 41 project from the leverarms 45 and are connected by links 48 to the cable 35 at 49 so that aspull is exerted on the cable the hooks 43 will be moved into closedposition as illustrated in Figure 3.

Attached to the housing which surrounds the pulley 34 as at 5l is acable 52 which is trained over a pulley 53 carried at the top of themast 25, and extends down through the mast and bent across a suitableguide pulley 54 to a winding drum 55 mounted in axial alignment with thedrum 31 previously referred to. The drum 55 the tractor I5 is looselymounted on an axial shaft 55 which extends through the clutch 39 anddrum 31, and keyed or otherwise attached to the shaft is a frictionclutch 56 through the medium of which driving connection is establishedbetween the shaft and the drum 55. An internal ring gear 51 is securedto one end of the shaft and is driven through the medium of a pinion |24attached to the drive shaft 24 so that when the power takeoff of thetractor is operated, the shaft 24 and the axial shaft extending betweenthe drums will be rotated.

Secured to the drive shaft 24 adjacent the end opposite the pinion whichdrives the ring gear 51 is a pulley 58 having driving connection with apulley 59 through the medium of a belt 60, which pulley 59 is attachedto the end of a jack shaft 6| coupled through the medium of a propellershaft 62 to a drive shaft 63. The shaft 63 is connected through themedium of a clutch 64 (Figure 4) with a pinion 65 driving a worm shaft66 which in turn drives a worm gear mounted on a vertical spindle 61carrying a drive pulley or sprocket 68 about which a flexible member l69is trained. This flexible member encircles the disc 26 and is anchoredat 10 to the disc 26 so that when the sprocket 68 is rotated the disc 26will be driven, thereby rotating the mast 25. A stop 1| is carried bythe disc 26 and is adapted to actuate a rock arm 12 in the shape of abell crank by means of which a plunger rod 13 which is slidably mountedin a sleeve 14 connected to one end of a lever 15, a forked end 16 ofwhich is arranged to engage the clutch 64 so that when the lever ismoved the clutch will be shifted into driving position with the gear 65.In order to effect rotation of the spindle 61V in a reverse direction apulley 11 is rotatably supported on the shaft 63 and has drivingconnection with a pulley 18, carried by the worm shaft 66 to which thepinion 65 is attached, through the medium of an endless belt 19. Thepulley 11 is arranged to be driven when the clutch 64 is in one positionand when the clutch is in shifted position it engages the pinion whichmeshes with the pinion 65 as will be readily understood upon referenceto Figure 4. Adjustably attached to the rod 13 on opposite sides of thesleeve 14 are collars 80, and encircling the rod 13 between the collars80 and opposite ends of the sleeve 14 are compression coil springs 8|which yieldingly urge the lever 15 to move under the influence of therod 13. A second stop 82 is carried by the plate 26, so that when theplate is moved in a counterclockwise position when viewed from Figure 4,the stop 82 will engage the arm 12 to alter the position of the clutch64. In this way it is obvious that the mast with the boom 33 may beswung through an arc of varying degrees which in the present instance islimited to 90 degrees as will be readily understood upon reference toFigures 2 and 3.

Pivotally supported at 83 (Figures l and 2) on the drive axle of thetractor, to swing about the axis thereof is a pair of spaced arms 84which project rearwardly from the tractor and are provided with bracebars 85. The rear ends of these arms inclined downwardly as illustrated,and pivoted to swing about a horizontal axis between the arms 84 as at66 is a scoop designated generally 81.y Pivotally supported at 88 to theframe of the tractor is a lever 89 the free end of which is connectedthrough the medium of a link 90 with the arms 64, and mounted on theframe of the tractor is the cylinder 9| of a hydraulic jack,

4 the piston rod 92 of which is pivotally connected as at 93 to thelever 89 so that by operating the jack 92, the arms 04 may be swungabout their pivots 83 as will be readily understood upon reference toFigure 2.

The scoop 81 previously referred to comprises a pair of side frames 94provided with forward extensions 95 terminating at their rear ends inbundle forming arcuate ,guides 96 against which the stalks to be loadedare pressed as the scoop is advanced.

In order to alter the tilt of the scoop 81 about its pivotal support 86I attach tc each side member 94 thereof a rearwardly extending plate 91in which is rotatably mounted a vertically extending screw threadedshaft 98 which enters an internally screw threaded nut 99 carried by itsrespective arm 84. A crank handle |00 is attached to the upper end ofeach shaft 98 so that by rotating the crank handles the shafts 98 willbe rotated thereby moving the scoop 81 about the pivot 86, for thepurpose of regulating the angle of attack of the scoop toward the groupof stalks.

In order to lend rigidity to the boom 33 and prevent side sway of thegrab 40 a tubular guide |0| is pivotally supported between each pair ofears 3|, and slidably mounted in each tubular guide |0| is a guide rod|02, 'the forward end of each of which is pivoted to the pivot 46adjacent its respective side of the grab 40. Fixed at the opposite endof each guide rod |02 is a stop |03 which when the grab is loweredengages the end of its respective tubular guide |0| to stop outwardmovement of the grab and swing it into proper position over the scoop,to lift the contents thereof when pull is exerted on the cable 35.

In Figure 5 I have illustrated a modied form of grab in which a guidecable 35 operating in the same manner as cable 35 is led downwardly overa guide pulley |04 carried by the pivot 46 which corresponds in allrespects to the pivot 46 previously described. The end of the cable 35opposite that trained over the pulley |04 is anchored at |95 to thecross-member 4| of the grab designated generally 40 so that when pull isexerted on the cable 35 the grab arms will be moved to closed position.

In use it will be understood that with the device attached to thetractor, the tractor is driven in reverse to cause the scoop 81 toadvance toward the stalks to be bundled. The guides 95 will rideunderneath the stalks against the surface upon which they rest and causethem to roll up against the guides 96 into a substantially circularbundle whereupon the operator manipulates the clutch 39 to set in motionthe winding drum 31 in a direction to pay out the cable 35 and thuslower the grab 40 toward the bundled stalks. The tubular guides |9| inconjunction with the sliding rods |02 will guide the grab into properposition over the bundled stalks whereupon by manipulating the clutch 39the winding drum 31 may be set into motion in a reverse direction toexert pull on the cable 35 thereby closing the jaws of the grab aroundthe bundled stalks and elevating the grab and stalks toward the free endof the boom. The shaft 63 is then set into motion to cause the mast 25to rotate into the position illustrated in Figure 2, Whereupon the cable35 may be unwound from the drum 31, thus lowering the bundled materialinto any suitable vehicle. The stops 1| and 62 engage the lever 12 toshift the clutch 64 and limit the lateral swing of the boom. Upon againenergizng the shaft 66 the boom may be returned to original positionover the scoop with the jaws of the grab '40 open ready for a repeatoperation. The cycle may be repeated until all the stalks lying on'theground have been gathered and loaded as desired. By admitting fluid tothe cylinder 9| from either end according to the position desired, theelevation at which the scoop 8l operates may be regulated and by turningthe crank handle 100 its angle of attack on the `group of stalks may beregulated.

While in the foregoing there has been shown and described the preferredembodiment of this invention it is to be understood that minor changesin the details of construction, combina-` tion and arrangement of partsmay be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of theinvention as claimed.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In a stalk loader of the type which includes a support carrying astalk gathering scoop, a boom mounted on the support adjacent the scoopto swing about a vertical and a horizontal axis and a grab suspendedfrom the boom for vertical movement relative thereto, a verticallydisposed mast movable with the boom about the vertical axis. and spacedparallel extensible rods pivotally supported atop the mast and coupledto the grab for holding said grab against side sway, and stops on therods to restrict the extensibility thereof and the travel of the grabfrom the pivotal connection of the rods to the mast.

2. In a stalk loader of the type which includes a support and a boommounted thereon to swing about a vertical and a horizontal axis, a grabsuspended from the boom for vertical movement relative thereto and a.stalk gathering scoop carried by the support from which stalks areremoved by the grab, a vertically disposed mast movable with the boomabout its vertical axis, a bearing plate carried by the upper end of themast, a tubular guide pivotally supported on each side of the bearingplate to swing in a vertical arc about an axis which extends across theaxis of the mast, a guide rod slidable through each tubular guide, eachguide rod being pivoted acljacent one end to the pivotal junction of thelever arms on its respective side of the grab and stops adjacent theends of the guide rods remote from the grab for engagement with thetubular guides to limit movement of the grab away from the stalkgathering scoop as it descends to embrace stalks gathered by the scoop.

3. A loader comprising a movable support, a scoop carried by thesupport, a boom pivotally mounted on the support for vertical swingingmovement, a grab suspended by ilexible means from the boom for verticalmovement relative thereto, and means for limiting the maximumdisplacement of the grab from the boom to an arced path intersecting thescoop when the boom is in the vertical plane of the scoop, said lastmeans comprising extensible members connecting the support and the grab,and means limiting the extension of said members.

4. A loader comprising a movable support, a scoop carried by thesupport, a boom pivotally mounted on the support for vertical swingingmovement, a grab suspended by flexible means from the boom for verticalmovement relative thereto, and means independent of the boom positionfor limiting the maximum displacement of the grab from the boom to anarced path intersecting the scoop when the boom is in the vertical planeof the scoop, said last means being retractable and connecting thesupport to the grab, said last means comprising a mast on saidsupportand extending a substantial height above the scoop, telescoplng memberspivotally connected to the mast adjacent the top thereof for verticalswinging movement and also secured to the grab, and means limitingexpanding tele scopic movement of the members.

5. A loader comprising a movable support and a scoop carried thereby, aboom pivotally mounted on the support for vertical swinging movement.means for swinging the boom about a vertical axis, a grab suspended byflexible means from the boom for vertical movement relative thereto, anda common means for maintaining the grab in the same vertical plane asthe boom and for directing the grab to the scoop when the boom is in thevertical plane of the scoop, said common means comprising vertical mastcarried by the support and which is mounted to swing about the verticalaxis in unison with the boom, a sleeve fixed to the mast for swingingmovement therewith and being pivotally mounted to the top of the mastfor Vertical swinging movement, a rod slidably extending through thesleeve and having one end connected to the grab and the other endengaging the sleeve when the grab is in position to remove material fromthe scoop.

6. In a loading machine, a carriage having a scoop at its forward end, aboom pivotally se' cured to the carriage for vertical swinging movementand projecting above and forwardly of the scoop, a grab suspended byflexible means from the boom at a position forward of the scoop, avertical mast on the carriage to the rear of the scoop, telescopingmeans connecting the mast and the grab, said means being pivotallyconnected to the mast adjacent the top thereof for vertical swingingmovement, and means positively limiting the extension of said last meansto a length substantially equal to the distance from the pivotalconnection thereof to the scoop.

FRUMEN CE WAGUESPACK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 153,272 Osgood July 2l, 1874716,250 Kolsbun Dec. 16, 1902 790,826 Goetz May 23, 1905 829,833Bergeron Aug. 28, 1906 1,327,324 Hecker Jan. 6, 1920 1,545,664 KassebeerJuly 114, 1925 2,375,205 Barras May 8, 1945 2,420,163 Borsini May 6,1947 2,440,199 Huston Apr. 20, 1948

